Golden State Warriors routed by Los Angeles Clippers

LOS ANGELES -- The Warriors have registered a few stinkers this season, and the usual response is to write it off as an off night, which happens on occasion in an 82-game season.

But after Saturday's 115-89 thrashing by the Los Angeles Clippers, in which the Warriors trailed by as much as 39, Golden State was singing a different tune.

"Of course this will stick with us. We've got to remember," Warriors forward Carl Landry said, flashing a sneaky grin as if he were holding something back. "We've got to let this one go. We've got a different team to play, focus on them. But when the opportunity comes again to play the Clippers, we've got to deliver."

The Warriors (22-11) had won the teams' first two meetings this season, one at Staples in early November and handily Wednesday at Oracle Arena. And Los Angeles played as if it had a score settle.

And the Warriors played as if they had a game to throw away. They showed none of the fight that got them a season-high 12 games over .500. And midway through the third quarter, the Clippers were catching alley-oops and styling as though they wanted to rub it in the Warriors' faces.

Clippers guard Chris Paul, who was lit up for 31 points by Warriors point guard Stephen Curry in Oakland, had the most effortless 27 points and nine assists you'll ever see. Los Angeles star forward Blake Griffin, who was dominated by David Lee the first two games, looked like the superstar of the two, totaling 20 points, seven assists and five rebounds in 30 minutes.

The Clippers shot better than 60 percent most of the night. Running their offense through Griffin, they shot 65.2 percent in the opening quarter. Griffin not only scored easily against the Warriors' post defense but also had little trouble finding his teammates when the double team came.

Through three quarters, the Clippers had 103 points on 58.3 percent shooting with 26 assists. Golden State not only was porous defensively but also got bullied on the boards (41-30).

"They got over 30 points in three different quarters," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said. "That is not our brand of defense, and that is not our style of play."

And the Warriors had no chance of outscoring the Clippers on Saturday.

From the very outset, they were ice cold. The Warriors' three key scorers -- Curry, Lee and Thompson -- were 1 of 13 combined in the opening period. Golden State missed 18 of its first 22 shots and went into the second quarter down 35-12.

Eric Bledsoe epitomized the kind of night the Clippers were having when he heaved a desperation 26-footer to beat the shot clock -- and it banked in. After a Curry turnover, Matt Barnes pushed the lead to 54-31 with a 3-pointer at the 5:29 mark of the quarter. Golden State went into the locker room down 24.

"Wednesday's game is pretty fresh in our minds," Griffin said. "They outplayed us, and they deserved to win. We wanted to come out and set the tone early and not back down at all. Take the fight to them."

Paul said the Warriors, in their November win at Staples Center, acted like they'd "won the NBA finals." Barnes, a former Warrior, said during a halftime TV interview that the Clippers took Wednesday's loss "personally."

It appeared that way with 5:26 left in the third quarter. The Warriors were down 32, and Jackson took out Curry and Lee. But Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro left in his starters. Moments later, the Clippers bench celebrated after Paul threw back-to-back alley-oops to DeAndre Jordan.